The new Aglaonema is the result of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The objective of the breeding program is to create new Aglaonema cultivars with compact plant habit, unique leaf variegation patterns, interesting leaf shapes, and resistance to pathogens.
The new Aglaonema originated from a cross made by the Inventors of the Aglaonema commutatum var. picturatum cultivar Treubii, as the female, or seed, parent with the Aglaonema commutatum var. picturatum cultivar Silver III, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aglaonema was discovered and selected by the Inventors in 1989 as a single plant within the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India. The new Aglaonema was selected on the basis of its compact habit and unique leaf shape and variegation pattern.
Asexual propagation of the new cultivar by cuttings or by divisions in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, has shown that the unique features of this new Aglaonema are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.
The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of xe2x80x98Silver Ribbonsxe2x80x99. These characteristics in combination distinguish xe2x80x98Silver Ribbonsxe2x80x99 as a new and distinct cultivar:
1. Compact, upright and outwardly arching growth habit.
2. Relatively rapid growth rate and fast rooting.
3. Freely clumping habit, full and dense plants.
4. Twisted, long, narrowly lanceolate, undulate, and sharply acuminate leaves with random green spots and blotches on a silver green background and green leaf margins.
5. Good postproduction longevity.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of the female parent, the Aglaonema commutatum var. picturatum cultivar Treubii, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are freely-clumping and produce more offshoots per plant than plants of the cultivar Treubii.
2. Plants of the new Aglaonema have more leaves and are more dense than plants of the cultivar Treubii.
3. Plants of the new Aglaonema grow faster and are more resistant to pathogens than plants of the cultivar Treubii.
4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are almost twice as long as leaves of plants of the cultivar Treubii.
5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Treubii differ in leaf variegation pattern and color.
6. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are twisted and undulate whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Treubii are flat.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of the male parent, the Aglaonema commutatum var. picturatum cultivar Silver III, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are freely-clumping and produce more offshoots per plant than plants of the cultivar Silver III.
2. Plants of the new Aglaonema have more leaves and are more dense than plants of the cultivar Silver III.
3. Plants of the new Aglaonema grow faster and are more resistant to pathogens than plants of the cultivar Silver III.
4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are narrower and almost twice as long as leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver III.
5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Silver III differ in leaf variegation pattern and color.
6. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are twisted and undulate whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Silver III are flat.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from plants of the Aglaonema cultivar Black Lance, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,280, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more compact than plants of the cultivar Black Lance.
2. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more freely-clumping and produce more offshoots per plant than plants of the cultivar Black Lance.
3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have more leaves and are more dense than plants of the cultivar Black Lance.
4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema have darker green petioles than plants of the cultivar Black Lance.
5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Black Lance differ in leaf variegation pattern and color.
6. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are twisted and undulate whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Black Lance are flat.
In side-by-side comparisons conducted by the Inventors in Chamrajpet, Bangalore, India, plants of the new Aglaonema differed from the Aglaonema cultivar Rhapsody in Green, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 8,975, in the following characteristics:
1. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more compact than plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.
2. Plants of the new Aglaonema are more freely-clumping and produce more offshoots per plant than plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.
3. Plants of the new Aglaonema have more leaves and are more dense than plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.
4. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are narrower than leaves of plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green.
5. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema and the cultivar Rahpsody in Green differ in leaf variegation pattern and color.
6. Leaves of plants of the new Aglaonema are twisted and undulate whereas leaves of plants of the cultivar Rhapsody in Green are flat.